It’s not rare to see Shawn Porter at local events wearing a smile and taking pictures with fans.

The former welterweight champion has been spotted at NBA Summer League games and at a Lights FC match. If there’s a boxing charity event, chances are Porter is there.

The Ohio-raised boxer has embraced his second home and considers himself a Las Vegas native. He reminded Danny Garcia in February that Las Vegas is his backyard when the two were engaged in a heated confrontation inside the Mandalay Bay Events Center ring.

“You’re from Ohio. You’re not from Vegas,” Garcia yelled after he knocked out Brandon Rios in the ninth round.

Porter was enraged by Garcia’s comments, but he also was letting out frustration from not being able to land a title shot. If crashing a postfight interview was the way to get it, then it had to be done.

It worked. Two years after losing a competitive bout to Keith Thurman, Porter finally has another world championship opportunity, and it’s against the man who questioned his Las Vegas ties.